2013

No sooner had this year started than it comes to an end…well it’s close to it anyway! I was inspired to write this earlier today and it’s going to have mostly personal stuff, so get ready to raise your eyebrows, roll your eyes, shake your head and groan at some things I’m going to share. I promise you’ll find them totally relatable and I hope it also encourages someone out there. Most importantly know that 2013 is not over, until it is…if you know what I mean.

Since 2012 I’d been dreading my birthday this year, it made me think, review my life and then think some more. As a result I decided to have a low key celebration and take a few friends and family out. Just before the auspicious day I got some reminders about how essential it was to rejoice at each stage of life even when you’re convinced you haven’t achieved all you wanted and that most importantly God’s got your back. With that I finally managed to relax and had a smashing time, moreover I ended up being treated (rather than treating!) to not just ice-cream but a spread of food, fun, laughter and fond memories and fabulous presents too!

Like everyone I wrote down goals, made plans and tried to work towards them. Some worked out and some not like I thought. I’ve also had moments where things I didn’t plan happened out of the blues, great jaw dropping moments – meeting and interviewing great people who happened to be politicians for a magazine, writing the cover story for a major magazine, riding a camel, being on a radio show and more still unfolding! I’m not saying it was all fun and games because some of those moments also had dimensions of WORK I’d never delved into!

I discovered the ability to pull all-nighters and write, read, re-edit until I thought I would be ill. I also learned how my body responded to extreme physical stress whilst having to soldier on. ‘On with the show!’ being the only option in those circumstances. It was not all work since there were lulls i.e. I had to learn how to actively enjoy them because the workload that followed was completely extreme.

Learning about some of my internal reserves has been an eye-opener in 2013. Also getting to know friends, family and some strangers a bit better has also been interesting. Strangers have become more familiar and some friends have almost become strangers for one reason or the other. The sweet has come with the not-so-sweet and made the year more in every aspect.

Being adventurous I’ve also tried to have some and this included trips to Calabar, Ekiti and Dubai. Riding a camel, rooming with someone I just met, listening to a mother’s story about the odds against her having another child and having the word serene translated into a physical location are a tip of the iceberg. To say I’ve had fun would be an understatement and to say I’ve learned an awful lot would be stating the obvious.

One thing I’ve realised is that 2013 wanes but it’s not yet over. I still have some things I’m anticipating and know that pleasant surprises still lurk around the corner. So if your year has been less than what you desired, know that it’s not too late to have everything turned right side up with much more than you thought or imagined. I’m holding on to these words from Psalm 65:11, You crown the year with Your goodness and Your paths drip with abundance (NKJV)…2013 still has more in store than you’ve envisaged!